Aeroplane.



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AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1911. RENEWED 001'. 16. 1913.

Patented June 2, 1914,

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AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1911. RENEWED OCT. 16, 1913. 1,098,547, Patented June 2, 19M

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1911. RENEWED OUT. 16 1913.

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Inventor wiiliam Guber-Zim jplwa.

W. AUBERLIN.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1911. RENEWED 0011s. 1913.

1,098,547, v Patented June 2, 1914,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM AUBERLIN, OF HUDSON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HERMAN AUBERLIN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1914..

Application filed November 10, 1911, Serial No. 659,537. Renewed October 16, 1913. Serial No. 795,578.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM AUBERLIN, citizen of the United States, residing at Hudson, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aeroplanes of the heavier than air type, and its purpose is to provide an improved machine characterized by novelty with respect to its general construction, with respect to the particular construction and arrangement of its planes and the means for controlling the same, and in various other particulars as will more fully appear from the following description.

The machine has two sets of planes, one at the front and one at the rear end of the frame, and each set consists of two parts, located respectively at opposite sides of the middle line of the frame, and each part consists of upper and lower planes, all of the planes being capable of tilting to vary the angle thereof for ascending and descending, and the planes at opposite sides being capable either of independent or joint operation. Two pilots or operators are required, one to control the front set of planes and one to control the rear set, and two engines or power plants are provided, located at the front and rear ends respectively and under control of the respective operators. Speaking tubes are provided for communication between the two operators. By means of the air resistance curtains or air brakes, the momentum of the machine may be checked, to bring it to a standstill, and by reason of the two engines, the apparatus will have a large margin of safety, since one engine will maintain sufficient headway to make a landing.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail of the lever for raising and lowering the brake curtain. Fig. 4 is a detail of the means for tilting the planes. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 6 is a detail in side elevation of the devices for tilting the planes. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 2, showing the devices for operating the air resistance curtains or brakes. Fig. 9 is a detail in section of the curtain operating devices. Fig. 10 is a partial section on the line 10-1O of Fig. 2, showing the means for operating the vertical rudder.

The main frame of the machine consists of side sills 43 and cross pieces at suitable intervals, some of which are indicated at 43. This is braced by truss work consisting of longitudinal bars 13 and uprights 14 and cross bars 13. This frame supports the floor or bed of the machine, and is comparatively long and narrow and is located in a horizontal plane and it supports the lower fixed cross pipes or pieces on which the plane structures are mounted. The mam frame supports the gasolene tanks 44, which are located at about the middle of the machine and are fastened to the sills. The frame is mounted at front and rear ends on wheels 26 carried by a framework 25 and braces 27, the framework being secured to the underside of the main frame. Said frame also supports the engine casings indicated diagrammatically at 21, and each engine operates, by suitable driving connections, the propeller shafts 85, on which the propellers 20 are mounted, one propeller being in front of the frame and the other at the rear end. The frame also supports seats 50 for passengers The construction of the front and rear sets of aeroplanes is substantially the same, and a description of one will answer for both. As stated, each set includes planes at opposite sides of the respective ends of the frame. Each part has fixed uprights 6 mounted on the cross piece 60, and supported by interior braces 7 the uprights 6 being at the front. The frames or ribs for the upper part of each set are indicated at 9, suitably joined by cross pieces and pivoted at 10 to the top of the front standards 6. The middle rib of each upper plane is highest, and the planes thus incline inv both directions from the middle in the shape of an inverted V of low elevation, and, as will be seen particularly in Fig. 7, the planes are wider or longer at each end than at the middle, the front and rear bars 61 converging toward the middle, forming a roof shaped upper plane, the pivots 10 of which, however, are all in line. The fabric of the planes is indicated in places at 62, but is omitted in the main for the sake of clearness. It will be understood that the fabric covers the framework above described. The rear end of the upper plane so constructed is connected by pivotal joints at 11 to the upper ends of the rear uprights S, and the lower ends of the uprights 8 are pivotally connected at 10 to the upper ends of the upright bars 11 of the frame of the lower planes, said frame ineluding also longitiulinal bars 9, front upright bars 17 and lower longitudinal bars (53, forming a box like structure which also has a front horizontal cross bar 18 carried in rings 18 depending from the main lower cross bar 60 of the upper structure. The ribs 9 will support a fabric cover for the lower plane, and the frame of the lower plane may thus be tilted on the bar 18 as an axis, and the frame of the upper plane may be tilted on the points 10 as an axis. and since the upper and lower planes are flexibly connected at 10 any vertical movement of the latter will be transmitted through the bars 3 to the former, so that both planes will tilt to the same angle.

The means for tilting the planes comprise a segmental rack 31 attached at its lower end to one of the bars 9 and meshing with a pinion 33 on a shaft 23 of which four are provided. one for the set of planes at each corner of the machine. The shafts at. the front end of the machine are directly controlled by levers 37 mounted thereon, with a clutch at 54 to connect the two shaft sections so that each shaft may be operated independently. or both operated by one lever, by shifting the clutch. The shafts are supported by bearings 46, on one of the cross pieces 43, and the pinions 33 are held in engagement with the racks by straps 33. Preferably, there are two sets of racks on each plane, as shown in Fig. 1, and accordingly two pinions on each shaft 23.

The rear shafts 23, being located some distance from the seat of the rear propeller. have special operating devices, consisting of two shaft sections 46 supported by bearings 4-5 on one of the cross pieces 13, with a clutch at 5 k to connect the respective shaft sections for simultaneous operation when desired. Each shaft. section 40 has a lever 37 mounted thereon (see Fig. (3) with a latch 41 engaging a notched segment 39". the handle of the latch being indicated at 10, the lugs to which it is pivoted at 40, and the spring at 42, the segment 39 being supported on the cross bar 4-3, as shown in Fig. 6. The lever 37 carries a segment beveled gear 39 meshing with a beveled pinion 38 on the end of a longitudinal shaft section 30 carried in bearings 31. and at: the rear end of each shaft 30 is a beveled gear 32 meshing with a beveled gear 32 on each shaft 23 and consequently by swinging either lever 37 the motion is communicated to turn the appropriate shaft 23 and tilt the planes at that side. Or by throwing in the clutch 54: which connects the two shaft sections 416 both sets of planes will be operated by one lever. The planes are braced by guys 12.

The vertical rudder of the machine is indicated at 16, consisting of a frame covered by a fabric, parts of which are indicated at 16, and hinged at its front end, at 22, to a central depending bar 23 braced by rods 24, under the floor of the car, at the front end, and this rudder may be operated by cables l6 extending around suitable guide pulleys 74c to connection with upper and lower drums and 51 (see Fig. 10) the shafts of which are suitably supported on the frame and connected by chain belt 70, so as to unwind one cord and wind up the other, the lever is swung, the rudder being under the control of the front operator.

The air brake curtains are located at the front of each set of rear planes and each comprises a curtain divided into three parts, 75, 75", and 75 all three parts working on one roller or shaft 71. The roller turns in brackets 28, said brackets being placed at the lower front corners of the upper parts of the rear planes, the brackets being conveniently supported by the fixed cross bar 60.

The curtains are raised by cord connections indicated at 66, passing over suitable pulleys 74 placed at the tops of the upright 6. Each section of the curtain has a cord connection 06, these cord connections being fastened to a main cord 66, said cord 66 passing to connection with a reel 51, mounted on a suitable shaft (37, which is supported on the floor of the car.

Referring again to Fig. 5, it is explained that 51, 53 and 76 are all integral and turn loosely on the shaft 67. To operate this curtain, the pilot or his assistant first releases the lever 37 by pressing 40 and 37 together, thereby enabling 37 a to turn loosely on the shaft 41-6. 52 being integral with 37, 52 turns as 37 is moved, thereby turning the pinion 53, reel 51, and sprocket 76, on the shaft 67. As the sprocket turns it willv by means of a sprocket chain 70, turn the shaft 71, hanging by means of a bearing or hanger 72. It is of course understood that that part of the shaft 71 on which the curtain is winding is the same size as the reel 51. It will be noticed that a special shaft 67 has been provided for the purpose of the reel, pinion and sprocket, as described above.

The independent operation of the planes at the four corners of the machine gives a very effective control, particularly in turning, and capsizing of the machine will thereby to a large extent be prevented. Mounting the engines and the tanks below the frame of the machine also increases the stability thereof. Especially in ascending, the planes will be locked by throwing in the clutches 54 and then tilting to incline the rear ends of the planes downwardly, and in descending the planes are preferably tilted similarly or simultaneously in the opposite direction. The speaking tubes 15 and 15 enable the two operators to talk to each other easily, the directions. being preferably given by the front operator or pilot. When the clutches are thrown out, either operator may operate either of the side sets of planes independently, and by tilting one more than the other the vessel may be raised or lowered on either side to correct any tendency to tip, and this control is particularly serviceable i in making turns.

As explained above, the upper planes are made like a gable, with the rear ends somewhat lower than the front ends. The peaked construction tends to hold the air under the planes and to prevent pitching or irregular motions, the air being compressed under the middle of the planes to a greater extent than if the planes were fiat. Since the main lifting planes are under control of the operators the use of small auxiliary planes is unnecessary.

I claim 1. The combination with a main longitudinal frame, or aeroplane structures at opposite sides thereof, each structure comprising fixed uprights at the front end of the planes, an upper aeroplane pivoted to the upper end of said uprights, a lower plane pivoted at its front end adjacent the lower ends of said uprights, rods 8 connecting the rear ends of the upper and lower planes, whereby both planes are tilted simultaneously, and means to tilt said planes, said means comprising a pair of shafts located in alinement and operatively connected to the planes at opposite sides of the main frame, means to independently operate said shafts, and a clutch between the shafts to lock them together for simultaneous operation.

2. The combination of a longitudinally extending main frame, fixed lower cross pieces projecting laterally at the front and rear ends of said frame, uprights on said cross pieces, upper planes pivotally connected to said uprights, lower planes pivotally connected to said cross pieces and located below the main frame, connections between said upper and lower planes, whereby they will be tilted simultaneously, means to tilt said planes, and a vertical rudder located under the main frame and between said front lower planes.

In testimony whereof, I do afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM AUBERLIN. Witnesses:

CLARA N. WHITFIELD, STEDMAN J. ROCKWELL.

Copies 0! this potent may be obtained (or iive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C." 

